Hayden Panettiere says her daughter is 'safe' amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine
- Hayden Panettiere said her 7-year-old daughter was currently "safe" and "not in Ukraine."
- Panettiere shares a daughter with former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine.
Hayden Panettiere assured fans that her 7-year-old daughter was "safe" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.
The 32-year-old "Nashville" actress responded to questions about her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, and her safety on Friday. E! News reported that Kaya typically lives with her father, former heavyweight boxing champion, and Hayden's ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, 45, in Ukraine.
"Please tell me that your daughter is currently stateside and not with her dad during this…" one fan commented under Panettiere's most recent Instagram post.
"She's safe and not in Ukraine," Panettiere responded.
In the same Instagram post, Panettiere showed support for the people of Ukraine and Klitschko.
"I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years. What Putin is doing is an absolute disgrace!" Panettiere wrote.
"This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, it's okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please," she added.
Klitschko shared a separate Instagram post in which he encouraged democracy on Thursday.
"I am writing to you from Kyiv, the capital of a country at war, a country being attacked and invaded from all sides. It is not 'the war of Ukraine,' it is Putin's war," Klitschko wrote.
He added: "Now, the Russian president is using war rhetoric in the purest Bolshevik tradition and is rewriting history to justify his redivision of borders. He makes it clear that he wants to destroy the Ukrainian state and the sovereignty of its people. Words are followed by missiles and tanks. Destruction and death come upon us. That's it, blood will mix with tears."
Reuters reported Klitschko joined Ukraine's reserve army earlier this month, saying his love for Ukraine inspired him to defend his home country. Klitschko's brother Vitali Klitschko, a former heavyweight champion and mayor of Kyiv, said he would also join in the fight against Russia. Vitali has been the mayor of Ukraine's capital since 2014.
"Here, we will defend ourselves with all our might and fight for freedom and democracy. You can also act. Let not fear seize us; let's not remain frozen," Vitali wrote in a statement shared on LinkedIn.
Insider's live blog of the invasion is covering developments as they happen.